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Browser-based Commodore 8-Bit Disk Image Utilities inspect and compose D64, D80, and D82 formats
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A new browser-based tool allows users to inspect, export from, and compose Commodore 8-bit 5¼" floppy disk images entirely locally.
For engineers and hobbyists working with retro Commodore hardware or emulators, this provides a standalone, client-side utility for managing disk images without transmitting data. It accompanies a from-scratch rewrite of the IEEE-488 bus emulation in a PET 2001 emulator.
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The tool includes a Disk Image Inspector for viewing and exporting files from D64, D80, and D82 formats.
A D64 Composer wizard allows users to assemble, rename, and reorder files into 35-track disk images.
The utilities run entirely locally in the browser with no data transmission and were built without AI assistance.
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A new standalone web application, the "Commodore 8-Bit Disk Image Utilities," has been released alongside a rewrite of a PET 2001 emulator. This rewrite involves a completely new implementation of the IEEE-488 / GPIB bus emulation and translation layer, built from scratch rather than emulating drive hardware and running ROM code. The new implementation allows the emulator to handle local files, disk images, and tape images transparently. It also adds support for BASIC 4.0 commands like OPEN, PRINT#, INPUT#, GET#, CLOSE, and CATALOG.
The utility package consists of two main components: a Disk Image Inspector and a D64 Composer. The Inspector provides a graphical interface for navigating D64, D80, and D82 disk images, displaying the Block Availability Map (BAM), disk headers, and directory data. Users can navigate via context menus and export files in formats such as .PRG.SEQ, or P00. The Composer functions as a wizard for assembling 35-track D64 images, enabling users to add, rename, reorder files, and adjust file type attributes.
The tools run entirely locally in the browser, ensuring no data is transmitted to external servers, and the developer states no AI was involved in the implementation. The release is described as an "early single release" of the new disk utilities. While the Inspector supports D64, D80, and D82 formats, the Composer is currently limited to creating D64 (35-track) images. The broader emulator rewrite may eventually include printer emulation, leveraging the full GPIB implementation.
This release aims to close the gap between files stored on media images and local files, particularly for distributing retro computing projects. The accompanying article provides an overview of the D64, D80, and D82 disk image formats and how they relate to physical disks. These formats are sometimes described as raw representations of the respective disks. The tool provides a sample disk image for users to explore, but also supports loading custom images.
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